Louie Anderson Keeps Head High After 'Splash' Elimination

Louie Anderson's flip, well, flopped on ABC's celeb diving competition, "Splash," Tuesday night, but he didn't flip out when he was eliminated. Others, though -- including beauty queen Katherine Webb and coach Greg Louganis -- shed some tears. The 60-year-old comedian stayed positive as he tackled the flip/somersault challenge by sort of rolling off the diving board backward. He lost to Webb by a mere .25 of a point. "You gotta carry on," Anderson said to the weepy former Miss Alabama.

Watch his dive and elimination:

Anderson joined the diving competition to conquer some personal challenges. He didn't learn to swim until age 55, and he told Access Hollywood, "I figured that was getting me ready for this." He was also encouraged by watching a clip from the European version of the series. Most of all, he wanted to finally be the person who succeeds at a physical challenge -- sharing the anecdote that, as a kid, he was never able to complete the President's Council on Fitness challenge, and that "Splash" was his chance to do all the tests and pass them.

But his successful run on the show didn't come easy. At 400 pounds, he had many early struggles; diving is, after all, all about posture, form, and body awareness. And everything has to be calibrated before hitting the water, said Anderson. Not to mention the swimsuit! "Oh my god, Louie Anderson in a speedo. That's a first," he went on. "I do this for all those other people who are embarrassed about maybe getting into a pool, getting into a suit. Don't be embarrassed. … Find your splash."

He's even boasting a slimmer physique, saying, "I lost more weight than I thought I would. … I can walk really well, much better than I could. I can get up without anybody's help. I can walk through the airport; nobody's pushing me. … It's woken my body up, and it's woken my mind up."

Even after his elimination, Anderson maintained his inspiring attitude by saying, "This is my first step into a brand-new life," as he waved to the crowd, and later tweeted:

A Big Thankyou to all of you, who supported me during time on @splashabc I'm grateful, humbled & touched by the love!!!